Turret installation with ammunition feed mechanism



y 8, 1958, Q. JOHNSON 2,842,031

' TURRET INSTALLATION WITH AMMUNITION FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 19542 Sheets-Sheet 1 Quinton C. Johnson INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

2. ebk

y 3, 1958 c. JOHNSON 2,842,031

TURRET INSTALLATION WITH AMMUNITION FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1954 N2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6f Quinton C. Johnson INVENTOR.

' 29 22 30 38:: I 38 260 k 26b B 2 i 36 Fig. 5 3 a 25 35 2; T 26 28ATTORNEY.

INSTALLATION WITH AMMUNITION FEED MECHANISMI Johnson, Torrance,Ca]if.,':'assign'or to Quinton V I North' American Aviation, Inc- J. AplicationNovember 17', 1954, Serial No; 469,497v

' a a The present invention relates generally to aircraftgu n turretsand more particularlytoimproved ammunition feed-mechanisms therefor; v

In the'designan'd operation of gun turrets for aircraft, the cone offiredefined by'the range of movement of the turret is frequently materiallyrestricted byfrthe clearance requirements of the ammunition feed chutes.The present invention; is directed to 'an improved ammunition feed'ohuteguide mechanismfor an aircraft gun turret such as may be insta'lled inthe tail of'an airplane. The/range of .movem'entofsuch turrets-isusually restrict- "ed hyinterference between the flexible ammunitionfeed chut'es',' which enter the turrets for the-twin machine guns,

- and lthe mu structure adjacent'the openingin the aircraft.

'iihe zpresent improvement; is directedtomea'ns for automaticallypositioning the flexible ammunition feed "chutes 7 11b obtain themaximumclearances as the turret is rewtatd; The improved mechanismtherebyeliminates the interferences which: have heretofore beenencountered landiwhich restricted the range of movement of the'fturret,

creased. I A N m m fistt h ghil'e' means for ammunition feed chutesgandthese prior iavrangementshave for' th'e most part been of the "demand:tprovi'ded doubt fulffeed"characteristics and in many. in-

zind-at-h cone of fire bf such turrets has- -been materially Units.mites 50 feed chute adapter mounting as takenalong-the lines horizontalaxes-,is mounted a ball type turret 6 to which are fitted a pair ofremotely fired machine guns 7. While the turret '6 is .shownby' way ofexampleas a remotely controlled .balltype, it may be of other than thetype shown as'jt'he present improvement is also applicable :to

such other. types and to other vehicles than air-craft; Theturret 6 maybe rotated in azimuth about its vertical axis A--B by means ofanelectric motor 6b through the Y ,drive gearing-6c and the gunsmay-therebyfbe swept in the horizontal plane (in azimuth ortraverse)either to the. right or to the left of their normal rearward-1y trainedpositions. The turret 6 may also be rotated in a well known manner aboutits mainhorizontal axis C-D, or in elevetion, by means of a secondelectric -m-otor 6d andisuita'ble gearing 6a, which may preferably behoused-withinlthe ball turret, in a manner well known -in the art." Thenumeral 8 indicates the flexible ammuni- 7 tion feed chutes for themachine guns 7 entering through the, surface of the ball turret throughthe guide adapter 40, chute-8L guided through adapter 9 and chute 8Rthrough adapter 40. (See Fig. 3.)

Fig. 2 shows the "ball turret 6 in its central pos'itionllookingirearwardly with' the "right and' left hand guns ave beenmade-to flexible stallations resulted in damage to the chutes. Most of j"these prior devices permitted-freedom of the ammunition chute-to twistor change its position and direction inacrr aximum clearance when'theichute is rotatedwith the gtii'rrettoward the adjacentsupportingstructure, and to 'tfh ere by insure positive feeding withoutchute damage. f ilhese and other objects and advantages of. the presentlinyenti-on'wi'll become obvious to those skilled in the art Li-oilcwing a reading of the present specification, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, forming a :part hereof, in which: w I t.1. :Fig. 1 is .anielevation'al view of thetail portion of "an .aircraftshowing a turret to which the improved ammunitionr-feed guide mechanismhas been applied;

2 is a transverse sectional view, to a larger scale, of-theinstallationlooking rearwardly as taken along the lines2+2bf Fig. '1;

Fig. '3 is a perspectiveview of the. turret and associated "mechanism ofFig. 2 as viewed looking angularly and rearwardly with the turretrotated in azimuth to an extr'me' position toward the left;

Fig/4 is anenlarged view of the actuating mech- *an'ism' for the chuteguide means as taken along the lines fi l "5 is a sectional plan view ofthe guide roller ascordance with the demands of the, movement of theguns for-turrets; but in contrast, the present improvedi mechanism'provides for the coordinated .guidance of the chute. by anticipating andpositioning thechute to provide the in azimuth only and the remainder ofthe turret rotates in elevation with respect toithe ring 6).

7R and 7L centered-about both the vertical and horizontal: aXes',"orwith the guns leveland trained directly longitudinally .toward'the rearof the aircraft. 'raemnet assembly 6 is' suitably housed within thefuselage opening 5d and supported from the structural framework thereofwhich may consist'essentially of the cross-tie me rnbe r Seattached' tothe straightened vertical portions of the adjacent fuselage former" ring5 The ball anemia "provided-with forwardly facing accessopenings-oai-which .iprovide openings for .removing and servicing theguns 7R and7L1 The ll turre s is suitably mountedupon itsvertic'al' axisA -B" by means'iof the top bearing. sup- :port; 9 attachedto the crossmember 52 and by the bot-- tom: bearing support memberltl suitablysupported from I the fuselage 'formerS Sf and the associated fuselagestrucp turelgt-These bearing} supports9 and 10 receive the upper andlower' veritical :stub" shafts "ZSa'tta'ched to. the .arcuatering-efforthe turret walland {about whichvertical ,axis

- AJB the turret may'pivot in azimuth. To drive the :turret in azimuthas described above 'bythe motor 671 and the gearing :60, there isprovided a driving member or gear sector 11 having an upwardly ofisetcentral lor hub portion 11a suitably attached to the upper portion ofthe :arcuate ring 6 of turret 6. To this gear sector 11 may preferablybe attachedthe' me'chanism by which i the ammunition chutes saanu 8L areautomatically l guided. The ring ifif-tlierefore rotates with the turretThe improved chute :guide' actuating mechanism is -shown to-an enlargedscale in the plan view in Fig-4 wherein the azimuth drive gear sector isindicated by the-..numeral- 11 and its upwardly ofiset' hubpontion ShPWnat 111, h in sturret uppenstu'bxshaft 2a passing through its bore at thecentral venticalaxis ATB. "Oneach side of .thepentraljaxis of the sector11f .there is pivotally mounted the short rearwardly extend. ,ingleversdland 13 which aresuspendedgfrom the sec- 7 tor 11 by the pivots14 and 15. Atftheir rearward pr pe i .3 terminals the short levers 12and 13 are pivotally connected to the secondary levers or links 16 and17 by means of the pivot bolts 18 and 19, respectively. The links 16 and17 extend toward each other and overlap at the longitudinal centerlineE- F of the turret at which they are interconnected by the pivot bolt24, the sector 11 being suitably recessed at its underside at 11b toprovide clearance for the head of the pivot bolt 24. The latter alsoserves to join the adjacent ends of the links -16 and 17 to the arcuateguide track 22, the upper and lower terminals of which are bored toreceive the stub shafts 23 about which they are free to pivot in azimuthabout the vertical axis A--B, both with respect to the aircraft and theturret. The track 22 is preferably T- shaped in cross-section, as moreparticularly shown in Fig. 5, with the stem of the Taportion removedadjacent its terminals to provide flattened portions having greaterclearance. The track 22 is pivotally mounted for limited movement inazimuth with respect to the aircraft and i with respect to the turret 6and is automatically positioned about the circumference of the forwardportion of the turret, being disposed normally in the verticallongitudinal plane defined by the axes AB and EF. The levers 12 and 13are arranged to abut or engage the fixed posts or stops 20 and 21,respectively, attached to the fixed fuselage structure, the levers 12and 13 engaging the stops 20 and 21 as the turret swings in azimuth tothe right or to the left, as indicated by the broken lines R and L, inFig. 4. The track 22 accordingly serves as a cam or guide member and isautomatically pivoted within a limited angle about its axis AB as theturret 6 is moved in azimuth.

At the forward central position of the turret 6, there is provided aguide roller assembly 25, which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and in greaterdetail in Fig. 5. This.

assembly 25 is comprised of a cross-tie frame 26 to which are attachedthe pivot bolts 27 and 28 upon which the flanged guide ro11ers29 and 30are free to rotate, as well as the smaller diameter rollers 31 and 32which engage the lateral edges of the abovementioned T-section track 22.The pivot bolts 27 and 28'also support the brackets 26a and 26b, betweenwhich are also pivotally mounted the control rods 33 and 34 by means ofthe pivot bolts 35 and 36. A secondary guide means consisting of a pairof vertically spaced horizontal guide tracks 37 and 38 are supportedfrom the adjacent faces of the turret 6 (and not the ring 6 by means ofthe attachments 38a. It is between these vertically spaced horizontaltracks 37 and 38 that the flanged guide rollers 29 and 30 are disposedand engaged such that the guide roller assembly 25 is adapted to bemoved laterally as the track 22 is rocked about the vertical axis AB.Each of the flexible ammunition chutes 8L and SR enters the turret 6through an ammunition chute guide consisting of an adapter fairlead orguide such as 39 and 40 which are rotatably journalled within the frames41 and 42 secured to the turret structure. The roller assembly 25 isconnected by the short control rods 33 and 34 to the adapters 39 and 40,respectively, by the pivotal connections 33a and 34a. The oppositeterminals of each of these control rods are connected to the pivots 35and 36, being of the universal joint type in order that the control rodsmay follow the paths defined by the rotation of the adapters 39 and 40,as well as that within which the guide roller assembly 25 is confined bymovement along the length of the track 22 as the turret is rotated inelevation and laterally with the track 122 and 'with'respect to theturret as the latter is rotated in azimuth.

The operation of the improved ammunition feed chute "guide mechanism isas follows: Movement of the turret 6 such that the guns 7 aretrainedtoward the left, fin-azimuth, from the central position shown inFigs. 2 and 4;toward the position of Fig. 3, will result in -engagement"of the right'h'and lever 13 (as it moves in the counterclockwisedirection) with the fixed stop 21 as shown in Fig. 4. This moves thelever 13, as well as the pivotally interconnected members 12 and 22, inthe same direction, namely, toward the left of its central position withrespect to the turret 6, and the axis EF, or toward the lines indicatedat L in this figure. Inasmuch as the gear sector 11 and the turret 6upon which it is mounted, are both moving in the counterclockwisedirection in Fig. 4 about the vertical axis AB, the pivot 14 is movingaway from the fixed stop 20 and this permits sufficient clearance forthe clockwise rotation of the short lever 12 about its pivot 14. As theturret continues to be traversed in azimuth to the left, the short lever-13 in being cammed against the fixed stop 21, which serves as a detent,imparts pivotal movement to the track 22 in the same direction, namely,counterclockwise or lagging with respect to the movement of the turret,such that the track 22 is moved to the left of its normal positioncentral with the ring 61 at the fore and aft axis EF to that indicatedin the perspective view in Fig. 3. The track 22 becomes in effect acircumferential or arcuate guide track and serves to carry the rollerassembly 25 with it to the left as also shown in Fig. 3.

The fixed tracks 37 and 38 attached to the turret serve to confine therollers 29 and 30 of the assembly 25 to an arcuate path about the frontspherical face of the turret while maintaining the same in a horizontalplane. As the track, 22 approaches the adapter 39 for the leftammunition chute 8L, the latter is compelled to rotate in thecounterclockwise direction within its guide frame 41 along its rollers390, as shown in Fig. 6. .At the same time the leading adapter 40 ismoved a further distance forward than the track 22, with the result thatthe adapter 40 is rotated within its frame in the counterclockwisedirection in such manner that the chute guide slot 40b within theadapter 40 is rotated from its upwardly and outwardly inclined neutralposition of Fig. 2, to the substantially vertical position as shown inFig. 3. As a result the relatively flattened outer face of the flexibleammunition chute is guided in close proximity to the edge of the opening5d in the fuselage, being that position and attitude of the ammunitionchute which permits the closest approach of the center of the circularadapter to the edge of the opening at its closest point of approach.

If in addition to the fully traversed position of the turret shown inFig. 3, as the guns 7 are rotated in azimuth to their extreme positionto the left, should the guns then also'be directed upwardly requiringrotation of the turret about the horizontal axis for elevation of theguns, and downward movement of the forward surface of the turret, thetrack 22 (as well as the ring 6f) are maintained in'the position shownin Fig. 3 with respect to the movable portions of the turret. Thedownward movement of the horizontal guide tracks 37 and 38, and theextent to which the track 22 has been offset, or has lagged from itsnormal central position, imparts clockwise rotation to each of the chuteadapters 39 and 40 such that the approaching chute 8R continues toremain substantially parallel to the adjacent wall surface at theopening and at its point of minimum clearance, and assumes an attitudemore nearly that shown in Fig. 2. It will, of course, be understood thatwhere the turret is rotated in azimuth in the opposite direction theleft chute 8L is rotated or twisted into a substantially verticalposition when the turret is simply rotated in azimuth, and to inclined,but substantially parallel, positions when the movement of he turretresults in combined azimuthal and elevational movements. Inasmuch as theadapters 39 and 40 are normally positioned in the lower hemisphere ofthe spherical turret 6, downward and rearward training of the guns, ordepression of the turret in the elevational sense, brings the chuteadapters nearer the mean horizontal plane of the turret or to similarpositions, in the upper half of the turretiat which the cle arances arna: as small'o'rias critical as those which prevail in theldwer halfof'the turret upon opposite movement of theturret' when the gunsareelevated upwardly. It willrals'o' be apparent that the mechanism is suchthat 'tlieadaptersare not moved when the turret is rotated in elevationonly, without-azimuthalmovement.

It will, accordingly b'e noted'that'a'n appreciable increase in therange of,movement of the turret is permitted by the coordinated guidanceof 't'he' flexible ammunition "chuteby positive movement of't'heiradapter guides by the actuating and guiding mechanism which has beendisclosed. By ineans of'the improved guide mec'hanism,'an

having a correct fire of'but 50 to '60 was increased to approximately90. The improved construction is also applicable to nose and otherinstallations and is not limited to the tailtypearrangement shown anddescribed.

Other forrus and modifications of the present invention,

both with respect to its general arrangement and the details of its"several parts, will become apparentto those "skilled in the art afterreadingthefore'going description,

butpallare intended to'come' within the. scope and spirit 'ofthisinventionyasmore particularly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a gun turret installation, an aircraft body, a

turret'having a pivotal mounting relative to said body positioned forrotation within an opening in said body, a drive member fixed to saidturret, an arcuate track member coaxially mounted upon said turretpivotal mounting for rotation therewith and with respect thereto,

an ammunition feed chute extending. from Within said body through a wallof said turret to the interior thereof, pivotal means operativelyconnecting said drive member with said arcuate track member engageablewith said body for imparting relative pivotal movement to. said trackmember through a lesser angle in the same direc? tionas said drivenmovement of said turret secondary guide 'means carried by said turretdisposed normal to said track member for reception of a roller means,roller means'for engaging both said track member and said secondaryguide means, andjammunition chute guide means movably mounted upon saidturret for positioning by said roller means in accordance with therelative movement of said track member with respect to said turret forcoordinated guidance of the ammunition feed chute in accordance with thepivotal movement of said gun I turretto provide greater clearance assaid feed chute is rotated with said turret toward said body opening.

2. In a gun turret installation, an aircraft body, a turret having apivotal mounting relative to said body positioned for rotation inazimuth and elevation, a drive.

member fixed to said turret, power means engaging'said drive'member fordriving said turret in azimuth, an arcuate track member coaxiallymounted upon said turret pivotal mounting for azimuthal rotationtherewithand with respect thereto, abutment means carried by said, ibody for limiting movement of a pivotal member, pivotal link meansoperatively connecting said drive member with said arcuate track memberengageable with said abutment means for imparting relative azimuthalmovement to said track member in a lagging direction with respect to thedriven azimuthal movement of said turret,

and-ammunition chute guide means movably mounted upon said turret andoperatively connected to said track I member for positioning saidammunition chute guide means in accordance with the relative movement ofsaid track member for coordinated guidance of the ammunition feed chutein accordance with the azimuthal movement of said gun turret.

EL'Inv an aircraft gunturret installation, an

body positioned for rotation in azimuth and elevation, a

drive member fixed to said turret, power means engaging aircraft I body,a turret having a pivotal mounting relative to said fexperirr'ientalturret installationof, theEmersonball type said drivemember far drivingsaid tui ret in azimuth about anormally vertical axis, an arcuate trackmember 7 coaxially mounted upon said turret pivotaltmountin'g forazimuthal rotation therewith and with respect thereto 7 about saidvertical axis, abutment means carried bysaid g body for limitingmovement of a'p'ivotal member, pivotal link means operatively connectingsaid drive member with "said arcuate track member engage'able with saidabutment means for imparting relative azimuthal movement to saidtrackmember in a lagging direction with respect to the driven azimuthalmovement of said turret, and ammunition'chute guide means including aroller assembly engaging said track member movably'mounted upon saidturretlfor positioning in accordance with the relative movement 'of saidtrack member'for coordinated guidance of the ammunition. feed chute inaccordance with the azimuthal movement of said gun turret irrespective of th'e elevational-movernents thereof. 4. In a gun turret installationfor an aircraft including a ball turret havinga pivotalmounting relativeto the aircraft, a gun carried by said turret, a' flexible ammunitionchute extending from within the aircraft through a wan of-said ballturret to said gun and drive means for rotating said turret and said gunabout: one of the rotational axe's'of 'said turret, the improvement ofa-guide through which said drive means rotates said turret.

5. In turret construction, a vehicle body, a turret having a pivotalmounting relative to said body .and positioned within an opening in saidbody, an adapter element movably carried by and forming a portion. ofthe wall of said turret, an ammunition chute extending through saidadapter element for feeding ammunition from a sourceof ammunition withinsaid body to'the interior of said turret, and guide means operatively associated with said turret and with said body for'imparting predeterminedmovements to said adapter element and said ammunition chute that arecoordinated with the movement of the turret wherebythe adapter element 7and ammunition chute have a predetermined position corresponding to anyparticular positiontof said turret with respect to said body. I g

6. In gun turret construction, an aircraft body, a turret having arotatable mounting relative to said body positioned Within an opening insaid aircraft body,means for rotating said turret about at leastoneaxis, a flexible ammunition chute movably carried upon said turret in aregion spaced from said axis for feeding ammunition from the interior ofsaid-body through 'a wall ofsaid turret to the interior of said turret,and guide means operatively contacting said ammunition chute including apivotal linkage operatively connected with .said gun ,turret rotatingmeans and engageable with said aircraft body for imparting coordinatedguiding movements to said ammunition chute movably carried by saidturret both with respect to said turret and with respect to saidaircraft body for facilitating a maximum range of movement of saidturret with'respectto the openingin said aircraft body. 7 I

7. 'In a gun turret installation, an aircraft body, a turret having apivotal mounting relative to said body, positioned for rotation withinan opening in said body, a

drive member fixed to said turret, an arcuate track mem- Y ber coaxiallymounted upon said .turret pivotal mounting forrotation therewith andwith respect thereto, an ammunition feed chute extending from withinsaid body through a wall of said turret to the interior'thereof, pivotalmeans operatively connecting said drive member with said track memberengageable with said body for imparting relative pivotal movement tosaid track member in the same direction but through a lesser angle thansaid driven movement of said turret, and ammunition chute guide meansmovably mounted upon said turret .a gun fixed to a turret movable withrespect to the aircraft about an axis fixed with respect to theaircraft, power means for moving said turret about said axis, anapertured adapter element rotatably mounted upon said turret at a pointremote from said axis, a wall of said aircraft defining an opening aboutsaid turret, a flexible ammunition chute extending from a point outsidesaid turret through the aperture in said adapter element to said gun ata point within said turret and camming means op- 8 eratively connectedto said adapter element engageable with the aircraft upon movement ofsaid turret and said adapter element toward a wall of said aircraft forrotating said adapterrelernent and the adjacent portion of saidammunition chute in a direction parallel to said adjacent wall uponmovement of said turret to thereby facilitate the feed of the ammunitionthrough said flexible chute to said gun and provide greater clearancewith respect to said adjacent wall. I

9. An ammunition feed mechanism of the type called for by claim 8characterized by said camming means including an arcuate elementpivotally mounted on the aircraft for rotation about said axisoperatively connected to said turret for rotation through a lesser anglethan that through which said turret is rotated upon movement of saidturret.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,252,227 Haberlin d Aug. 12, 1941 2,400,385 Blaylock May 14, 19462,520,736 Reek et al. Aug. 29, 1950 2,538,045 Ryan et al Ian. 16, 1951

